Anyone think its possible to be employed as a website designer, even though i have no actual formal education on website designing?

and is starting up ur own web design site a really good idea?

lets just say my designs are on the average side..

wewa

Hi leeleez!

How good are your web-design skills?
Have you already designed a page on your own? If you have, then post a link please to this page. Then we'll may be able to tell you, if you have chances.

AftershockVibe

You will need to prove what you can do. As wewa said, you'll need a site or collection of sites to showcase your ability.

cloudship

as a designer, you are always asked to show your exployer your works or part of the portfolios. Otherwise it is very difficult even to get a chance of interview.

It doesn't matter whether you got a PhD or not in art/design, but what you can create is the matter.

zakarykinnaird

I agree it is what you make that counts, you have to show what you can do.

Insanity

It seems to me that in this modern world, degrees and certificates are starting to count for less and less. Experience and merit are what counts more nowadays, though I wouldn't completely rule out the advantage a degree would give. Any advantage helps in this competitive world.

papeekung

i think it nice to do it in my country everyone do it.

sunpascal

leeleez wrote:

Anyone think its possible to be employed as a website designer, even though i have no actual formal education on website designing?

and is starting up ur own web design site a really good idea?

lets just say my designs are on the average side..

Yes, I was wondering the same thing. I have some experience in web design and programming. But would that be sufficient to get a job? Or would I need more specific education?

I developed my school's homepage.

It features a photo gallery and calendar which I both wrote myself in visual basic.
It also has an admin area were my teachers can edit the calendar and gallery or post announcements without actually having to open up frontpage or a text editor.

What do you think?

loryl

Before you go job searching, you should make the code conform to html/xml/whatever thing you're using standards and not use deprecated tags (ie: the <font> tag). Also, I think that with anything artistic, you can't be just "average", you have to shoot for "the best". Anyone can design a website, but not everyone can design a really GOOD-looking one. It also depends on if you're going to freelance or join a web design team, the latter of which requires more experience. You could offer all your friends and family website designs for a modest fee, then expand to your town.

DanielWestman

As loryl said, everyone can design a website with dreamweaver nowadays, you need to be GOOD at what you're doing.

I suggest you practice, practice, practice at HTML, XHTML, CSS and possibly PHP too, until you really got a hang of it.

You can offer to make websites for free or at a low cost in the beginning and slowly build up your own portfolio with websites.

But to answer your question, no, you dont need to have an education to be employed. As long as you know what you're doing and the employeer knows that I dont think he cares where you learned it.

ICMovement

Although a formal education isnt really quired, my personal philosophy is that it can't hurt to have one in your field. it can only benefit you. There are online course you can take and other schedules of classes which could fit almost anyones schedule.

solutionpros

I just registered a free domain name and wish to host it. But most web hosting server requests for nameserver authentication. Can anyone help me host the domain? www.solutionpros.net.tf?

sunpascal

you are referring to a new topic - please start a new thread.

Afaceinthematrix

Insanity wrote:

It seems to me that in this modern world, degrees and certificates are starting to count for less and less. Experience and merit are what counts more nowadays, though I wouldn't completely rule out the advantage a degree would give. Any advantage helps in this competitive world.

I disagree. I know someone who is one of the greatest in their industries. People are always coming to him for help. Yet these people coming to him for help make more money than him because they have the degree. He may do the job much better than them, but they have a little piece of paper saying that they spent thousands of dollars sitting in a school.

kerryworkman

It really depends on where you want to work. The bigger and better the company you want to work for the more likely you will need that degree to get your foot in the door. If it is an entry level position you should have no problem getting it based upon just your portfolio and past work. For example the international graphic design studio, Pentagram. Their San Francisco based office will not even accept your portfolio if it is not accompanied with your resume that shows that you have a Bachelors Degree or better. You would not have that problem if you were trying to get a job at Joe's Web-emporium, or somewhere else that does not have a line of people with degreee's fighting over the chance to work there.

Chinmoy

I agree with kerryworkman. The bigger the company gets, the bigger their demands, and the bigger needs to be your expertise on your resume. But for a freelance webbie, i guess you hardly need any big stuff. Just show them yor work and youll get it!

GB

I have found a degree to be essential these days. Without one, I don't think I'd be able to get a job most places. It's worth at least getting a tech school two year degree.

As far as your design skills, you may be average, but its how you sell yourself to potential clients and/or employers. Find a niche where you do well and then find the people who need that specific service. This is so often overlooked by designers who are wanting to turn it into a career or freelance project. They want to do everything. Then they spread themselves too thin and don't do anything well.

Good luck!

gtoroap

Yeah, a degree its important, but not is the only thing. You must have experience and talent to be a great web designer. Keep going.

Zuex

Afaceinthematrix wrote:

Insanity wrote:

It seems to me that in this modern world, degrees and certificates are starting to count for less and less. Experience and merit are what counts more nowadays, though I wouldn't completely rule out the advantage a degree would give. Any advantage helps in this competitive world.

I disagree. I know someone who is one of the greatest in their industries. People are always coming to him for help. Yet these people coming to him for help make more money than him because they have the degree. He may do the job much better than them, but they have a little piece of paper saying that they spent thousands of dollars sitting in a school.

Wow, thats very unfair, im the type will do the job much better, i can't be bothered for the little piece of paper

ccube921

Web Design is a bit weird its not at all hard to learn you dont need any school really to learn it, you could learn it online for free and work really well, im with insanity, based on what you've actually made would be better because technically just because you got a degree you have to be able to show you know how to use the languages.

Feroc1ty

Most of art jobs, or even programming jobs these days, employers seek the portfolios of the people, and only the best get considered. What you have to do, is just keep practicing on making websites, and make a portfolio and add those websites to it, you never know when someone might be considering hiring you for their new company.

tamilparks

mostly nowadays websites are growing so the Jobs for webdesigning is also increasing, first you have to show your talent in designing the webpage and submit to the company as your project. also attend the interview and get it..

justinr

As was said by many others, web design can be a great business to make money in - especially if you are rally good. The best thing to make money at it is to do freelance and establish word of mouth. Establish yourself as not only a designer, but as someone who maintains websites. Everyone knows that Microsoft makes the bulk of their money through licensing and maintenance upgrades to their existing products. You don,t always need to reinvent the wheel if you have strong business skills and take the time to treat your customers right.

koolteenz

i think it depends on the stranded. Its specialized world and need specialized people for different tasks.
basic education and good ideas can make you good developer.

georgeodowd

I've been trying to get into web design myself. I just started a job as a web developer, which is pretty heavy on the backend side of things, but I'm trying to find time to make my own website. I've found a lot of inspiration at places like webdesignerwall.com.

Best of luck to you!

-george

Chinmoy

for a proper web design job, you need your roup. People ofering jobs want segregaed work. And each one should have specializations. And you need some creations online for people to see, so start free in the beginning.

pmehta51

Definitely, you want to have your own web design site where you can practice all your great ideas. You don't need formal education. But with enough experience you can be a great designer.

ericf

Yeah, it's not that difficult to get started in this type of field. The easiest thing to do would go to local companies and offer to make them websites for a fee. Small shops - nothing big. This is just to build up your portfolio. That's when you can start going for bigger companies or apply for a job with web site design company.

As for degrees, I think that's only important if you're going for huge companies like amazon or other sites that may need people who're geniuses with algorithms and more hardcore languages to deal with security and scalability.

Seriously, though, just give it a shot. Go to a local business and say, "Hey, I'd like to make a website for your company or redesign your website (if they have an ugly one)." It can't hurt.

Entrepod

I think if you were to start a web designing site, you should at least be able to do things like search functions as many company websites require search functions to look through their products. Basic CSS would be a boost to make your website look more appealing.

More graphics does not make your website look good, it really depends on how you choose and position your graphics. Making a website with no colour theme isnt such a good idea as it'll look really messy. Good luck to whatever you choose to do! Hope i helped.